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11.04.2011

El Albergue - breakfast

My train for Machu Picchu left at 6:00A. Thank goodness breakfast at El Albergue started at 5:30! Breakfast was included with the room so I was expecting something simple like a continental breakfast with some fruit and some pastries. I was not expecting a choice of scrambled eggs, fried eggs, or pancakes to be made upon order!

Although I didn't experience any altitude sickness, I still ordered a cup of coca tea just to try. Coca tea, also called mate de coca, is brewed with leaves from the coca plant. Drinking it as a tea or chewing the leaves are supposed to alleviate some altitude sickness. It is commonly found in the Andes region of Peru, such as the Sacred Valley and Cuzco, where the elevation is much higher. The smell is very fresh and woodsy and the taste is very mild. It's not the best tasting tea, but its tolerable.

Freshly scrambled eggs! The eggs were fluffy and light. I always notice a different taste and texture to eggs found outside America. I find that the eggs are more creamy and almost buttery tasting.

Freshly made pancakes topped with fresh banana slices. I'm not a huge pancake fan, but I did manage a couple bites. They were light and fluffy.